A process including providing a member having an exposed outer metal surface and propelling irregularly shaped solid carbon dioxide granules against the exposed outer metal surface with sufficient force to alter the texture of the outer metal surface to a predetermined surface roughness.

This invention relates in general to a process for treating surfaces and, more specifically, to a process for roughening the outer surface of a member.
Electrostatographic imaging members, such as photoreceptors, are conventionally utilized for copiers and printers and comprise a hollow electrically conductive drum substrate which has been dip coated with various coatings including at least one photoconductive coating comprising pigment particles dispersed in a film-forming binder. The photoconductive coating usually includes a charge generating layer and a charge transport layer. A problem experienced during the formation of electrostatic images on these electrostatographic imaging members using laser beam exposure techniques involves the undesirable formation of a plywood-like pattern in the electrostatic latent image (known as the xe2x80x9cplywood effectxe2x80x9d or the xe2x80x9cinterference fringe effectxe2x80x9d) due to reflection of the laser beam that penetrated the charge generating layer of the imaging member to strike a normally smooth outer surface of a supporting substrate. This plywood-like pattern in the electrostatic latent image is converted to a visible toner image during development of the latent image. One of the reasons for this undesirable phenomenon is the reflective nature of the metal substrate used for the imaging member. To prevent this plywood effect, an expensive machining technique has been utilized to roughen the surface of the substrate to prevent reflection of the laser beam. Alternatively, or in addition to expensive machining, the outer surface of the substrate is roughened by techniques such as spraying an alumina (aluminum oxide) media/water slurry sprayed against the aluminum substrate surface. The alumina treated substrate surface is duller with micro-roughness, which reduces brightness and allows automatic visual inspection (AVI) systems to be used. Additionally, auto-density control lasers, which detect the degree of brightness in order to set up machine parameters for density control of the final image, may be used. If a machine is not within precise brightness ranges, the auto-density control cannot set up the machine. Unfortunately, even after cleaning of the roughened substrate surface, aluminum oxide media in the form of particles often adhere to the substrate surface to cause defects in imaging layer coatings subsequently formed on the substrate. These defects form unacceptable toner images. In addition, because of the abrasive nature of aluminum oxide media, the equipment used to apply the media to the substrate surface erodes rapidly resulting in equipment down time and expensive repairs. Generally, these aluminum oxide media comprise spherical beads. The alumina media is both costly and prone to stick to the substrate surfaces contributing to or resulting in unacceptable post coat defects. Thus, new imaging members having coatings containing aluminum oxide media are rejected and scrapped.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,128 issued to Bowen et al. on Dec. 29, 1998xe2x80x94Method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling the exit velocity of solid/gas carbon dioxide spray cleaning systems. By increasing the pressure of liquid carbon dioxide in the supply line, typically in the range of 800-875 psi, to greater than 875 psi, preferably 2,000-5,000 psi and above, the velocity of the spray stream exiting the nozzle is increased enabling removal of contamination (oils, fingerprints, particles, graffiti, etc.) not removable with a spray stream using conventional carbon dioxide pressures. The apparatus includes the incorporation of a high-pressure pump in the liquid carbon dioxide supply line in combination with a nozzle having a first or inlet orifice smaller in diameter than the supply line and a second or exit orifice larger in diameter than the inlet orifice.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,263 issued to Isaacson, Jr. et al. on Jul. 21, 1998xe2x80x94A flood control device 200 is disclosed which measures the volume of fluid delivered in a continuous steady flow to a house or building and which shuts off the fluid flow if a preset maximum limit is reached, indicating overly high consumption due to a leak, break or open faucet in the plumbing of the house or building.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,368 issued to Bowers on Jun. 16, 1998xe2x80x94A method is disclosed of cleaning an integrated circuit chip module prior to attaching wire bonds thereto. The method involves disposing a module containing an integrated circuit chip and IC bond pads without wire bonds in an environmental process enclosure. A carbon dioxide jet spray cleaning system having a spray nozzle and orifice assembly is disposed the environmental process enclosure. A jet spray of carbon dioxide is generated using the jet spray cleaning system. The carbon dioxide jet spray is directed onto the surface of the module such that the spray impacts the IC bond pads and module bond pads to clean unwanted adhesive from the surface of the module and thus clean the IC and module bond pads.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,024 issued to Goenka on May 7, 1996xe2x80x94A CO2 nozzle is disclosed which expels liquid CO2 under pressure through an orifice therein for converting the liquid into CO2 snow. The CO2 nozzle is contained within an elongated mixing cavity within a body which is coupled to an exhaust nozzle for directing the CO2 snow toward the workpiece. The CO2 nozzle includes several wings for creating aerodynamic turbulence within the elongated mixing cavity for enhancing the coagulation of the CO2 snow into larger CO2 snow particles or CO2 snowflakes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,740 issued to Swain on Jul. 11, 1995xe2x80x94An apparatus is disclosed for cleaning cylindrical surfaces includes a plurality of cleaning stations. Each cleaning station is designed to receive a substrate and includes a plurality of nozzles. The inlet end of each nozzle is connected to a source of liquid Carbon Dioxide, and the outlet end of each nozzle is connected to one end of a respective Carbon Dioxide expansion chamber. Liquid Carbon dioxide leaving each nozzle is converted to solid Carbon Dioxide in the corresponding expansion chamber. The other end of each Carbon Dioxide expansion chamber is coupled to a respective funnel which is, in turn, connected to a dispersing saddle. The dispersing saddles disperse the stream of solid Carbon Dioxide particles leaving each funnel and direct these particles to the substrate surface. The dispersing saddles are placed such that the entire circumference of the substrate surface is enveloped within the various streams of solid Carbon Dioxide particles. In addition, the apparatus may include a source of a dry nonreactive gas which is introduced into each stream of solid Carbon Dioxide particles in order to reduce condensation on the surface from the surface of the substrate and to further direct each stream of solid Carbon Dioxide particles to the substrate surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,652 issued to Srikrishnan et al. on Dec. 13, 1994xe2x80x94An aerosol cleaning apparatus is disclosed for cleaning a substrate includes an aerosol producing means having a nozzle head. The nozzle head is positioned at a selected proximity and orientation to the substrate which is held by a rotatable holder. The aerosol spray dislodges particles from the substrate and the rotation of the substrate further assists in the removal of the loosened particles. A method of aerosol cleaning includes rotating a substrate at a preselected speed and spraying an aerosol jet in conjunction with the rotation to help in the removal of particles from the substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,261 issued to McDermott et al. on Mar. 15, 1994xe2x80x94A method is disclosed for cleaning microelectronic surfaces using an aerosol of at least substantially solid argon or nitrogen particles which impinge upon the surface to be cleaned and then evaporate and the resulting gas is removed by venting along with the contaminants dislodged by the cleaning method.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,028 to McDermott et al, issued May 11, 1993xe2x80x94An apparatus is disclosed for cleaning semi-conductor solid surfaces using a spray of frozen cryogen, such as argon, to impinge on the solid surface to remove contaminant particles. The apparatus includes an appropriate nozzle positioned in a housing designed for ultra clean conditions including sweep gas supply and evacuation conduits and a support table movably positioned within the housing to controllably convey the semi-conductor solid surface on a track under the spray of frozen cryogen emanating from the nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,898 issued to McDermott et al. on Nov. 5, 1991xe2x80x94A method is disclosed for cleaning microelectronics surfaces using an aerosol of at least substantially solid argon particles which impinge upon the surface to be cleaned and then evaporate and the resulting gas is removed by venting along with the contaminants dislodged by the cleaning method.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,311 issued to Vander Mey on Jan. 17, 1984xe2x80x94Methylene chloride-methane sulfonic acid compositions used in removing polymeric organic substances from inorganic substrates, such as polymeric adhesives from metal and lense glass parts and positive and negative photoresists from metallized silicon/silicon dioxide wafers, which comprise an effective amount, usually about 1 to 40 percent by weight methane sulfonic acid and the balance methylene chloride are described. Methods for using the above composition at ambient temperatures to remove the polymeric organic substances from the metal and non-metallic inorganic substrates are also described.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,4,191,201 issued to Barnsbee on Mar. 4, 1980xe2x80x94Plastic film cartridges generally comprise a variety of component parts plus a label affixed by adhesive to the cartridge housing. The cartridge housing (a plastic) is recyclable when the label and adhesive are removed and the housing is separated from the other non-compatible plastic and non-plastic cartridge components. In accordance with the invention, multi-stage reclaiming apparatus is disclosed wherein film cartridges are first rough chopped to provide physical separation of the cartridge components. The cartridge housing pieces are separated from other cartridge components on the basis of differences in specific gravity in a series of specific gravity separation tanks. To remove the labels and adhesive from the housing pieces, a separation tank contains a detergent solution capable of assisting in dissolving the adhesive. The tank is provided with a group of heating elements to cause the detergent solution to boil in the immediate vicinity thereof. As housing pieces travel past the heating elements they are rolled around, swirled and submerged and each housing piece with a label portion adhered thereto is exposed to the boiling detergent solution. The adhesive is thus dissolved and the label portions are driven off the housing pieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,067 to Goenka, issued Apr. 1, 1997xe2x80x94In an apparatus for cleaning a workpiece with abrasive CO2 particles, a CO2 nozzle receives and expels liquid CO2 through at least one orifice sized for at least partially converting the liquid into CO2 particles. The CO2 particles are injected into a converging-diverging nozzle at a location adjacent to the throat section thereof. Pressurized air is directed into the converging section of the nozzle upstream from the throat section. The pressurized air accelerates the CO2 particles which are focused by the diverging section of the nozzle for impacting the pressure-sensitive surface of the workpiece to be cleaned.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,450 to Goenka, issued Feb. 21, 1995xe2x80x94A CO2 nozzle receives and expels liquid CO2 through orifices sized for converting the CO2 liquid into CO2 snow. A body, defining an elongated cavity therein, is coupled to the CO2 nozzle such that the CO2 snow is ejected into the cavity. An exhaust nozzle is coupled to the body and the cavity therein for directing the pressurized CO2 snow toward the workpiece. The exhaust nozzle is operated in an overexpanded mode for containing the shockwave within the nozzle for reducing the shear noise therefrom. Pressurized air is injected into the elongated cavity for exhausting the CO2 snow under pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,062 to Goenka, issued Oct. 21, 1997xe2x80x94An apparatus and method for cleaning a workpiece with abrasive CO2 snow operates with a nozzle for creating and expelling the snow. The nozzle includes an upstream section defined by a first contour for receiving CO2 in a gaseous form. The nozzle also includes a downstream section for directing the flow of the CO2 and the snow toward the workpiece, with the downstream section having a second contour optimized for supersonic flow of the CO2. The nozzle includes a throat section, interposed between the upstream and downstream sections, for changing the CO2 from the gaseous phase to an intermediate mixture of CO2 gas, liquid and snow within the downstream section at a speed of at least Mach 1.1. A turbulence cavity section is interposed between the throat section and the downstream section for inducing both turbulence within the CO2 gas flowing therethrough, thereby increasing the nucleation and agglomeration of the CO2 within a snow zone defined within the downstream section. The throat, upstream, turbulence cavity and downstream sections of the nozzle may be manufactured from silicon micromachined surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,264 to McCullough et al, issued Nov. 2, 1999xe2x80x94A method for the removal of fluorine or chlorine residue from an etched precision surface such as a semiconductor sample is provided which comprises exposing said precision surface to liquid CO2 under appropriate conditions that are sufficient to remove the residue from the precision surface. Cryogenic aerosol may be used in conjunction with liquid CO2.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,809 to Kosic, issued Nov. 17, 1998xe2x80x94In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, an apparatus and method for cleaning large glass plates each having first and second major surfaces is provided. The apparatus (10) includes an enclosure (14) which maintains a cleaning environment in which a glass plate (42) is decontaminated. An actuated support member (40) vertically translates the glass plate (42) into the enclosure (14) where it is supported with its first (46) and second (48) major surfaces substantially perpendicular to a ground plane defined by the floor space (12) occupied by the apparatus (10). A pair of opposing arrays of jet spray nozzles (62 and 64) coupled to a pressurized supply of liquid carbon dioxide (94) is provided for simultaneously directing carbon dioxide snow particles (96) in directions of the first and second major surfaces (46 and 48) of the glass plate (42), thereby removing contamination therefrom. The carbon dioxide snow particles (96) sublime within the cleaning environment of the enclosure (14).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,512 to Goffnett et al. issued on Apr. 28, 1992xe2x80x94A process is disclosed for the cleaning of the inner surfaces of a chemical vapor deposition reactor used in the production of polycrystalline silicon. The process comprises impacting the surfaces to be cleaned with solid carbon dioxide pellets. The carbon dioxide pellets dislodge silicon deposits from the surface of the reactor without damaging the surface of the reactor and without providing a source for contamination of polycrystalline silicon produced in the cleaned reactor. The present process is particularly useful for the cleaning of the inner surfaces of chemical vapor deposition reactors used in the production of semi-conductor grade silicon.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,594 to Perry et al. issued Jul. 6, 1999xe2x80x94A photoreceptor fabrication method is disclosed composed of spraying a honing composition including particulate material against a substrate in a particulate material spray distribution containing only one peak in a graph of the number of particulate material versus distance along the spray area to create a predetermined surface roughness.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/628,865, entitled xe2x80x9cHOLLOW CYLINDRICAL IMAGING MEMBER TREATMENT PROCESSxe2x80x9d filed concurrently herewith, in the names of R. Millonzi et al.xe2x80x94A process is disclosed for treating an electrostatographic imaging member including providing a hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging member having an interior surface, a coated outer surface, a first end and a second end, the interior surface at at least the first end having a coating of adhesive material securing a first end flange to the first end, and propelling solid carbon dioxide pellets against the first end flange and coating of adhesive material with sufficient force to remove the first end flange and coating of adhesive material from the interior surface at at least the first end of the hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging member.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/628,258, entitled xe2x80x9cPROCESS FOR REMOVING COATINGSxe2x80x9d filed concurrently herewith, in the names of G. Arsenio et al.xe2x80x94A process is described comprising providing a hollow cylindrical substrate having an imaginary axis, an inner surface and an arcuate outer surface, the outer surface having at least one outer coating comprising a film forming polymer, propelling solid carbon dioxide irregular granules against the coating to remove the at least one outer coating.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/371,766, entitled xe2x80x9cAN APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REMOVING A LABEL FROM A SURFACE WITH A CHILLED MEDIUMxe2x80x9d filed on Aug. 10, 1999, in the names of Agarwala et al.xe2x80x94An apparatus for removing labels from a housing is provided. The apparatus includes a tank for storing a medium at a pressure above ambient pressure. The apparatus also includes a medium conduit in communication with the tank for transporting the medium therefrom. The conduit defines a opening therein. The medium exiting the conduit at the opening is adapted to remove labels from the housing.
The entire disclosures of each of the above cited patents and patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.
While the above mentioned treatment techniques may be suitable for their intended purposes, there continues to be a need for improved process for effectively, economically and precisely hone the outer surface of substrates.
It is an object of this invention to form a substrate surface having a precise brightness range to enable use of automatic visual inspection (AVI) systems to detect brightness and set up machine parameters for density control of the final image.
It is another object of this invention to precisely hone the outer surface of inexpensive substrates.
It is yet another object of this invention to clean the outer surface of substrates.
It is still another object of this invention to precisely hone without machining the outer surface of substrates to form a diffuse surface.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a process which blasts solid particulate carbon dioxide particles against the outer surface of the substrate.
It is another object of this invention to provide a process employing honing material which sublimes without forming toxic fumes.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a process which efficiently removes the presence of undesirable oil materials on the outer surface of a substrate.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a process which eliminates the need for aluminum oxide honing media.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a process which eliminates post coat defects that can be caused by aluminum oxide honing media.
It is another object of this invention to provide a process which leaves no residual deposits.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a process which alters the texture of the surface of photoreceptor substrates.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a process which dissolves oils.
It is another object of this invention to provide a process which is cleaner.
It is another object of this invention to provide a process which removes residual films.
The foregoing objects and others are accomplished in accordance with this invention by providing a process comprising,
providing a member having an exposed outer metal surface and
propelling irregularly shaped solid carbon dioxide granules against the exposed outer metal surface with sufficient force to alter the texture of the outer metal surface.
Any suitable member may be treated with the process of this invention. The member may have any suitable shape including, for example, a plate, seamless belt, hollow or solid cylinder, and the like. Preferably, the substrate is a hollow cylinder having an imaginary axis, the exposed outer metal surface, a first end and a second end, the exposed outer surface being substantially free of any nonmetallic electrically insulating coating. The member may comprise any suitable metallic material. Typical materials include, for example, metals such as aluminum, aluminum alloys, stainless steel, brass, nickel, and the like. Generally the substrates are relatively soft and are preferably characterized with a yield strength of between about 10,000 pounds/in2 (703 kilograms/cm2) and about 20,000 pounds/in2 (1,406 kilograms/cm2). Uncoated substantially homogeneous aluminum or aluminum alloy substrates are preferred. Typical aluminum alloys include, for example, 1050, 1100, 3003, 6061, 6063, and the like. Alloy 3003 contains Al, 0.12 percent by weight Si, 0.43 percent by weight Fe, 0.14 percent by weight Cu, 1.04 percent by weight Mn, 0.01 percent by weight Mg, 0.01 percent by weight Zn, 0.01 percent by weight Ti, and a trace amount of Cr. The size and distribution of inclusions and intermetallic compounds in the alloy should be below the level at which the inclusions and intermetallic particles would pose a problem for the honing process and ultimately interfere with the subsequent electrophotographic properties of the final device. Nonuniform surface texture with patches of unhoned regions may result if many large inclusions or intermetallics are present. Similarly, the ductility properties of the aluminum substrate should be substantially uniform to ensure a uniform texture upon completion of the honing process. Generally, the surface of the substrate may be relatively smooth prior to honing. Typical smooth surfaces are formed by, e.g., diamond lathing, specialized extrusion and drawing processes, grinding, buffing and the like. Surface roughness can be characterized by the following parameters: Ra (mean roughness), Rt (maximum roughness depth), Rpm (mean leveling depth), Wt(waviness depth), and Pt (profile depth). After smoothing but prior to any honing, the substrate can have a typical surface roughness in the range for example of Ra of about 0.05 micrometer and Rmax of about 0.5 micrometer to Ra of about 0.2 micrometer and Rmax of about 2.0 micrometer. Ra is the arithmetic average of all departures of the roughness profile from the center line within the evaluation length. Ra is defined by a formula:       R    a    =            1              l        m                                ∫        0                  l          m                                            "LeftBracketingBar"          y          "RightBracketingBar"                                  xe2x80x83                                  ⅆ          x
in which Im represents the evaluation length, and |y| represents the absolute value of departures of the roughness profile from the center line.
The expression Rmax represents the largest single roughness gap within the evaluation length. The evaluation length is that part of the traversing length that is evaluated. An evaluation length containing five consecutive sampling lengths is taken as a standard. These materials are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,594, col. 4, lines 10-53, the entire disclosure thereof being incorporated herein by reference. Measurements of the various surface roughness parameters described herein may be made with a profilameter such as Perthen Model S3P or Model S8P manufactured by Mahr Feinpruef Corporation. Generally, a stylus with a diamond tip is traversed over the surface of the roughened substrate at a constant speed to obtain all data points within an evaluation length. The radius of curvature of the diamond tip used to obtain all data referred to herein is 2 micrometers.
Aluminum substrate members are preferred because they comprise a relatively soft material. Especially preferred are net drawn aluminum hollow metal cylinders or drums. The use of aluminum tubes net drawn to desired dimensional specifications eliminates the need for subsequent lathe machining to achieve required dimensions. The expression xe2x80x9cnet drawnxe2x80x9d, as employed herein, is defined as extruded aluminum tubes or drums.
The carbon dioxide particles are irregular in shape. These carbon dioxide particles or granules may be formed from grinding solid blocks of carbon dioxide (dry ice) or by phase transformation followed by fracturing. Pellets or shaved dry ice sources may also be used. Each style of CO2 blasting involves a different process to form irregularly shaped CO2 crystals. The grinding process involves shaving solid blocks of carbon dioxide (dry ice) to form irregularly shaped particles. The irregularly shaped carbon dioxide particles are fractured solid particles having random angular surface features comprising corners, sharp edges and the like, and therefore, are unlike cylindrically shaped carbon dioxide pellets, carbon dioxide snowflakes, or carbon dioxide spheres. The irregular shape promotes the formation of a diffuse surface which enables the use of automatic visual inspection (AVI) systems to detect brightness and set up machine parameters for density control of the final electrophotographic image. It is essential that the carbon dioxide particles or granules are clean. The carbon dioxide particles or granules preferably have an average particle size between about 50 micrometers and about 1000 micrometers. Further, the particulate material may have a bulk specific gravity ranging, for example, from about 1 gram/cm3 to about 5 grams/cm3. The bulk specific gravity of the particulate material is preferably about 1 gram/cm3 to about 3 grams/cm3 and more preferably about 1.2 gram/cm3 to about 2 grams/cm3.
A typical phase transformation process operates as follows: Liquid carbon dioxide is fed into a machine deemed a xe2x80x9cpelletizer.xe2x80x9d Pelletizers are commercially available. A typical unit useful for testing is a Model 750 available from Cold Jet, Inc.
The pelletizer converts the liquid phase into the solid phase by extrusion, forming cylindrically-shaped carbon dioxide pellets. In a typical test, pellets extruded had a nominal diameter of 0.045 inch (1.143 millimeters) and lengths between xe2x85x9 inch (3.175 millimeters) and xe2x85x9c inch (9.525 millimeters). As the pellets are transported to the gun, they collide with each other and transport system conduit walls, thus randomly breaking them up into irregularly-shaped granules. The pelletizing (or extrusion) CO2 pellet forming process implements different sized die so that the pellet size can be dialed in to the appropriate value. Since collisions occur during transport, pellets are always extruded larger than the granules exiting from the gun. Experimentation determines what size to extrude to obtain the proper granule size at gun exit to be between 50 micrometers and 1000 micrometers. In this way, both CO2 pellet forming process yield the same size granules at the gun exit.
The substrate members are honed using a CO2 blasting process which sufficiently roughens the outer surface of the member to achieve plywood suppression. The CO2 blasting process utilizes a gun which fires the irregular CO2 particles through a nozzle onto the outer surface of the substrate member. The nozzle shape can be of any conventional design useful for the acceleration and propulsion of carbon dioxide particles with sufficient speed to hone the substrate upon impact. Preferably, the nozzle shape produces conical or fan spray patterns. Typical nozzles are described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,594, the entire disclosure thereof being incorporated herein by reference. An example of a nozzle is a xe2x80x9cventurixe2x80x9d nozzle. A venturi nozzle comprises a short, narrow center section and widened, tapered ends. The ends and the center section in a venturi nozzle are curved slightly. Such a nozzle maximizes the velocity at which carbon dioxide particles are projected at the substrate. If desired, the nozzle 4 may be fitted with a conventional cooling jacket. Typical guns, which mix the carbon dioxide particles with a gas such as air, are commercially available, for example, from Cold Jet, Inc., CAE-Alpheus and the like. The carbon dioxide particles are fed from a grinder or pelletizer to the gun through any suitable conduit using low pressure gas referred to as transport gas. Preferably, the pressure for the transport gas is between about 5 p.s.i. (0.35 kg/cm2) and about 45 p.s.i. (3.2 kg/cm2). The transport gas transports the CO2 pellets down the conduit to be mixed with high pressure blast gas inside the gun. The pressure of the transport gas pressure must be high enough to transport the CO2 pellets without clogging in the conduit. The pressure for the transport gas is increased as the distance from the CO2 pellet supply to the gun increases. Thus, where the pellet transport conduit is quite long, a pressure for the transport gas as high as 45 p.s.i. (3.2 kg/cm2) may be necessary. However, a transport gas pressure greater than about 45 p.s.i. (3.2 kg/cm2) is less desirable because it approaches the blast gas pressure range of between about 55 p.s.i. (3.9 kg/cm2) and about 65 p.s.i. (4.6 kg/cm2). The conduit may be cooled, if desired, to reduce sublimation of the carbon dioxide particles. Preferred nozzles are described in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/371,765, entitled xe2x80x9cAPPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING A SOFT SURFACE WITH A CHILLED MEDIUMxe2x80x9d, filed on Apr. 10, 1999 in the names of Agarwala et al. and pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/371,765, entitled xe2x80x9cAPPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REMOVING A LABEL FROM A SURFACE WITH A CHILLED MEDIUMxe2x80x9d, filed on Apr. 10, 1999 in the names of Agarwala et al. The entire disclosures of these pending applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Inside of the gun, the particles transported using low pressure gas, are mixed with a high pressure gas, referred to as xe2x80x9cblast gas.xe2x80x9d Preferably, the blast gas used to propel the carbon dioxide particles from the gun is dried prior to use of the propellant. Any suitable inert gas may be employed as blast gas to propel the carbon dioxide particles. Typical inert gases include, for example, air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon, and the like. A typical blast gas pressure is air at about 60 p.s.i. (4.2 kilograms/cm2). An external pressured source for blast gas to propel the carbon dioxide particles against the exposed outer surface of the member is preferably maintained at a pressure of between about 55 psi (3.9 kg/cm2) and about 65 psi (4.6 kg/cm2). The particle velocity should be sufficient to produce a predetermined surface roughness on the metal substrate member in order to achieve a uniformly diffuse surface. The irregularly shaped solid carbon dioxide granules are propelled as at least one stream against the exposed outer surface of the member. Multiple streams of propelled granules may be employed, if desired, for reducing cycle time. The steams may have any suitable cross section. Typical cross sections include, for example, round, oval, rectangular, conical, elliptical, and the like. The shape of the cross section of the stream may be controlled by the shape of the nozzle opening. The nozzle material should be resistant to erosion at the temperatures employed. Typical nozzle materials include, for example, stainless steel, nylon, rubber, polyurethane, polyethylene, and the like. The cycle time, particle size, particle velocity, blast pressure, relative speed of traverse, rotation speed of the substrate, and the like, vary depending upon the amount of roughness desired and the type of material used for the substrate.
Preferably, the honing conditions are selected to achieve a predetermined surface roughness defined by Ra ranging from about 0.05 micrometer to about 0.5 micrometer, more preferably from about 0.1 micrometer to about 0.3 micrometer, and most preferably from about 0.17 micrometer to about 0.23 micrometer. Rmax is the vertical distance between the highest peak and the lowest valley of the roughness profile R within the evaluation length and preferably ranges from about 0.5 micrometer to about 4 micrometers, and more preferably less than about 3 micrometers. Rk is the mean of five leveling depths of five successive sample lengths and preferably ranges from about 0.2 micrometer to about 2 micrometers, and more preferably from about 0.55 micrometer to about 0.75 micrometer. Wt is the vertical distance between the highest and lowest points of the waviness profile W within the evaluation length and preferably ranges from about 0.1 micrometer to about 1 micrometer, and more preferably from about 0.15 micrometer to about 0.5 micrometer. Pt is the distance between two parallel lines enveloping the profile within the evaluation length at their minimum separation and preferably ranges from about 0.8 micrometer to about 6 micrometers, and more preferably from about 1 micrometer to about 4 micrometers. Significant suppression of the interference fringe effect may be observed in embodiments of the present invention at the light source wavelengths conventionally used, including a light source having a wavelength at 780 nm. The gun may be moved over a stationary substrate, or a substrate may be moved under a stationary gun, or both the gun and the drum may be moved simultaneously to achieve relative motion. Preferably, the path of the propelled carbon dioxide particles is substantially perpendicular to an imaginary tangent on the surface of the drum. The expression xe2x80x9csubstantially perpendicularxe2x80x9d as employed herein is defined as plus or minus 10xc2x0 from perpendicular to an imaginary tangent on the surface of the drum. Low path angles relative to the an imaginary tangent on the surface of the drum, tend to produce undesirable striations and non-uniformities. It is also preferred that the gun is translated in a linear direction parallel to the axis of the drum while the drum is rotated about its axis on any suitable device such as a lathe, parallel rotating rollers, and the like. Thus, typically, at least one stream of irregularly shaped solid carbon dioxide granules is moved linearly along the length of a rotating cylinder in a direction parallel to the imaginary axis. The distance between the gun nozzle and the substrate to be treated is between about 100 mm and about 300 mm. The cylindrical substrate is rotated about its axis at a surface speed of between about 40 cm/sec (where the substrate is for example an 84 mm diameter drum) and about 60 cm/sec (where the substrate is for example a 30 mm diameter drum), or about 100 to about 400 rpm.
If desired, a vacuum system may be employed to collect material removed from the substrate by the carbon dioxide particles.
Since the carbon dioxide particles appear to dissolve residual oil contaminates on the outer surface of the substrate member, cleaning of the substrate prior to and following CO2 honing may be omitted, if desired. Moreover, the irregular solid CO2 granules quickly sublime after impact and do not remain on the honed surface as a potential coating defect as does the conventional alumina media.
In fabricating a photosensitive imaging member, a charge generating material (CGM) and a charge transport material (CTM) may be deposited onto the substrate surface either in a laminate type configuration where the CGM and CTM are in different layers or in a single layer configuration where the CGM and CTM are in the same layer along with a binder resin. When applied as different layers, the CTM in a charge transport layer may be applied to the substrate surface prior to or subsequent to application of the CGM in a charge generating layer. Typical organic photoconductive charge generating materials include, for example, azo pigments such as Sudan Red, Dian Blue, Janus Green B, and the like; quinone pigments such as Algol Yellow, Pyrene Quinone, Indanthrene Brilliant Violet RRP, and the like; quinocyanine pigments; perylene pigments; indigo pigments such as indigo, thioindigo, and the like; bisbenzoimidazole pigments such as Indofast Orange toner, and the like; phthalocyanine pigments such as copper phthalocyanine, aluminochloro-phthalocyanine, titanyl phthalocyanine, hydroxy gallium phthalocyanine and the like; quinacridone pigments; or azulene compounds. Typical inorganic photoconductive charge generating materials include, for example, cadmium sulfide, cadmium sulfoselenide, cadmium selenide, crystalline and selenium, lead oxide and other chalcogenides.
Any suitable inactive resin binder material may be employed in the charge generating layer. Typical organic resinous binders include polycarbonates, acrylate polymers, methacrylate polymers, vinyl polymers, cellulose polymers, polyesters, polysiloxanes, polyamides, polyurethanes, epoxies, polyvinylacetals, and the like.
Any suitable charge transport material may be used. Typical charge transport materials include, for example, organic polymer or non-polymeric material capable of supporting the injection of photoexcited holes or transporting electrons from the photoconductive material and allowing the transport of these holes or electrons through the organic layer to selectively dissipate a surface charge. Typical charge transport materials include, for example, a positive hole transporting material selected from compounds having in the main chain or the side chain a polycyclic aromatic ring such as anthracene, pyrene, phenanthrene, coronene, and the like, or a nitrogen-containing hetero ring such as indole, carbazole, oxazole, isoxazole, thiazole, imidazole, pyrazole, oxadiazole, pyrazoline, thiadiazole, triazole, hydrazone compounds, and the like. Other typical transport materials include electron donor materials, such as carbazole; N-ethyl carbazole; N-isopropyl carbazole; N-phenyl carbazole; tetraphenylpyrene; 1-methyl pyrene; perylene; chrysene; anthracene; tetraphene; 2-phenyl naphthalene; azopyrene; 1-ethyl pyrene; acetyl pyrene; 2,3-benzochrysene; 2,4-benzopyrene; 1,4-bromopyrene; poly(N-vinylcarbazole); poly(vinylpyrene); poly(vinyltetraphene); poly(vinyltetracene), poly(vinylperylene) , and the like. Typical electron transport materials include, for example, electron acceptors such as 2,4,7-trinitro-9-fluorenone; 2,4,5,7-tetranitro-fluorenone; dinitroanthracene; dinitroacridene; tetracyanopyrene, dinitroanthraquinone, and the like.
Any suitable inactive resin binder may be employed in the charge transport layer. Typical inactive resin binders soluble in methylene chloride include polycarbonate resin, polyvinylcarbazole, polyester, polyarylate, polystyrene, polyacrylate, polyether, polysulfone, and the like. Weight average molecular weights can vary, for example, from about 20,000 to about 1,500,000.
Any suitable technique may be utilized to apply the charge generating material (CGM) and a charge transport material (CTM) onto the substrate surface either in a laminate type configuration or in a single layer configuration. Charge transport layer and the charge generating layer after altering the texture of the outer surface to the predetermined surface roughness. Typical application techniques include spraying, dip coating, roll coating, wire wound rod coating, and the like. Dip coating is a preferred coating technique where the dipping and raising motions of the substrate relative to the coating solution may be accomplished at any suitable speed. Drying of the deposited coating may be effected by any suitable conventional technique such as oven drying, infra-red radiation drying, air drying and the like. Generally, the thickness of the charge generating layer ranges from about 0.1 micrometer to about 3 micrometers and the thickness of the transport layer is between about 5 micrometers to about 100 micrometers, but thicknesses outside these ranges can also be used. In general, the ratio of the thickness of the charge transport layer to the charge generating layer is preferably maintained from about 2:1 to 200:1 and in some instances as great as 400:1.
If desired, an optional charge blocking layer may be applied to the substrate surface after alteration of the texture of the outer surface to the predetermined surface roughness and prior to application of the charge generating layer or charge transport layer. Any suitable blocking layer material may be employed. Charge blocking layers are well known in the art. The blocking layer may be organic or inorganic and may be deposited by any suitable technique. Typical blocking layers include polyvinylbutyral, organosilanes, epoxy resins, polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, pyroxyline vinylidene chloride resin, silicone resins, fluorocarbon resins and the like. Other blocking layer materials include nitrogen-containing siloxanes or nitrogen- containing titanium compounds such as trimethoxysilyl propylene diamine, hydrolyzed trimethoxysilylpropylethylene diamine, N- beta-(aminoethyl)-gamma-aminopropyltrimethoxy silane, isopropyl- 4-aminobenzene sulfonyl, di(dodecylbenzene sulfonyl) titanate, isopropyl-di(4-aminobenzoyl)isostearoyl titanate, isopropyl- tri(N-ethylamino-ethylamino) titanate, isopropyl trianthranil titanate, isopropyl-tri-(N,N-dimethylethylamino) titanate, titanium-4-amino benzene sulfonatoxyacetate, titanium 4-aminobenzoate-isostearate-oxyacetate, [H2N(CH2)4]CH3Si(OCH3)2, (gamma-aminobutyl)methyl diethoxysilane, and [H2N(CH2)3]CH3Si(OCH3)2 (gamma-aminopropyl)methyldiethoxy silane, and the like. The blocking layer should be continuous and usually has an average thickness of less than about 5000 Angstrom units.
The photosensitive imaging member produced according to the invention can be tested for print quality assessment in a Xerox Document Centre 230 (a multifunction laser printing machine) at an initial charging voltage of about 480 volts. The Document Center 230 has a 780 nm wavelength laser diode as the exposure source and a single component discharged area development (DAD) system with 7 micrometer toner. Interference fringe effect is tested in a gray scale print mode using specified halftone patterns. The interference fringes, or plywood fringes, are not observed, and no degradation of print quality is observed due to black spots. Similar results may be achieved with other laser-based machines, e.g., those with an exposure light source that operates in the range of 600-800 nm.
Use of the CO2 honing process of this invention provides a sufficiently diffuse surface to enable plywood suppression. Use of preferred substrate members that are net drawn tubes eliminates the expense of machining and also reduces substrate cost. Quality of the final imaging member is improved by eliminating the need for aluminum oxide media which often contribute to post coat defects. Since the roughening process of this invention uses solid CO2 pellets which quickly sublime, the process eliminates potential coating defects as does alumina media. Additionally, the CO2 blasting process of this invention simultaneously performs a cleaning function because the irregular CO2 particles dissolve residual oils while the force of impingement sweeps the dissolved oils away.
A number of examples are set forth hereinbelow and are illustrative of different compositions and conditions that can be utilized in practicing the invention. All proportions are by weight unless otherwise indicated. It will be apparent, however, that the invention can be practiced with many types of compositions and can have many different uses in accordance with the disclosure above and as pointed out hereinafter.


Flame retardant hot melt adhesives include atactic polypropylene having grafted thereon a ring-halogenated styrene. The compositions may also include homopolymers of the styrene monomer or equivalents, as well as non-halogenated atactic polypropylene. Tackifying agents, waxes, anti-oxidants and other additives may also be included.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of compositions useful in the manufacture of hot melt adhesives and to the adhesive compositions themselves, and particularly to the preparation of flame retardant hot melt adhesives containing atactic polypropylene.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Atactic--also known as amorphous--polypropylene (APP) was for years an undesirable by-product of isotactic polypropylene production. Due to its low price, APP soon found its way into many applications, including use in adhesive formulations. Eventually, opportunities arose for APP adhesives requiring that they possessed some degree of flame retardancy.
A hot melt adhesive is generally manufactured from a mixture of three components: a thermoplastic resin capable of providing cohesion of the mixture, a petroleum resin having a tackifying effect, and a paraffin or a microcrystalline polymeric wax capable of adapting the viscosity of the mixture to the processing and use conditions of the adhesive. In choosing the thermoplastic resin part of the mixture, good properties are sought in respect to heat stability and adhesiveness. The thermoplastic resins commonly used in compositions for the manufacture of hot melt adhesives have included copolymers of ethylene and vinyl esters, particularly vinyl acetate, or copolymers of ethylene and alkyl acrylates, particularly ethyl acrylate and butyl acrylate.
A typical hot melt adhesive formulation is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,853, issued to Acharya et al. on Apr. 20, 1982. This patent indicates that a typical adhesive comprises, for example, ethylene copolymer, a tackifier and a wax. The Acharya patent is directed to the particular use of alkenyl succinic anhydride in combination with ethylene copolymer and a tackifying resin. It is indicated that wax-like materials and anti-oxidants may also be used. Among the ethylene copolymers mentioned are ones with vinyl acetate or with acrylic and methacrylic acid.
A general form of hot melt adhesive is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,299, issued to Decroix on Sept. 13, 1983. The Decroix patent indicates the adhesive to conventionally include a thermoplastic resin, a tackifying resin, and a paraffin or other wax-like substance for modifying the melt viscosity. Particularly described in the Decroix patent is the use of a terpolymer of ethylene and minor parts of alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and of maleic anhydride.
While atactic polypropylene (APP) has been found to be suited for use in hot melt adhesives, there has remained a desire to improve the flame retardancy of APP without adversely affecting the other desirable properties of APP. Approaches to this problem have included the modification of APP directly or the addition of flame retardants into the overall adhesive formulation.
Improvement of flame retardancy has relied on modifications to atactic polypropylene, or on additives for the APP, but disadvantages have been associated with both approaches. Although a vast number of modified polypropylene compositions have been described or theorized in the prior art, few if any suitable flame retardant APP derivatives have been identified. Similarly, numerous additives for increasing the flame retardancy of atactic polypropylene have been studied and some are commercially available. Nonetheless, there is at present no commercially available flame retardant additive for atactic polypropylene which provides adequate retention of physical properties, and demonstrates high thermal stability and absence of solids at processing temperatures. The present invention contemplates a modification of atactic polypropylene which yields a composition that retains the desirable physical properties of atactic polypropylene, and avoids the disadvantages of alternate approaches.
Hot melt adhesive formulations can be made flame retardant by the addition of halogenated liquid and/or solid additives. However, liquid additives weaken the adhesive bond strengths by dilution and plasticization of the adhesive formulation. On the other hand, solid additives act as fillers, and can result in settling and lower tensile strengths. Present adhesive dispensing systems are not generally equipped with stirrers, and solid insoluble flame retardant additives which settle out of the adhesive can clog feed lines.
State of the art methods for rendering APP flame retardant consist of blending with inert additives, an approach which has not been entirely successful. Sedimentation of the additive in the melt vessel or transfer lines, thermal instability, volatility, migration out of the adhesive, high viscosity and poor adhesive strength are problems associated with various additive-type flame retardants. We have found that ring brominated styrene, when grafted to APP, provides a novel composition that is useful as a flame retardant hot melt adhesive. Furthermore, adhesive strength and melt viscosities are actually improved over the base polymer.
One method of conferring flame retardancy to APP is to chlorinate it by grafting chlorine atoms directly onto it. G. M. Ronkin, et al., "Structure and Properties of Chlorinated Polypropylene", Plast. Massy, 1987, 3, 20-23, report that the direct chlorination of isotactic and amorphous atactic polypropylene provides flame resistance and self-extinguishing properties, but with decreased strength. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,291,862, issued to W. B. Armour, et al. on Dec. 13, 1966, it is similarly disclosed that chlorinated atactic polypropylene yields fire retardation accompanied by increased elongation and decreased tensile and peel strength. While this approach would solve the problem of flame retardant sedimentation, the relatively low strength of the non-aromatic carbon-chlorine bond is not sufficient to prevent thermal degradation over the long periods and high temperatures to which hot melt adhesives are subjected.
Certain molecular flame retardants have been grafted onto APP by other researchers. M. Hartman, et al., "Graft Copolymerizations of Vinylphosphonic Acid Derivatives on Atactic Polypropylene", Z. Chem., 1980, 20(4), 146-7, describe the use of vinyl phosphonates to flame retard APP. There is no indication that the grafts are useful as flame retardant adhesives.
The most widely used method to produce a flame retardant hot melt adhesive is to add a non-reactive halogenated material. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,082, issued to Kusterer on Sept. 25, 1979, there is disclosed the use in a hot melt adhesive of commercially available chlorinated (preferred) or brominated waxes in combination with paraffin wax, a halogen scavenger, and flame and smoke suppressants. The use of chlorinated paraffin as an additive to atactic polypropylene in a hot melt adhesive is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,067, issued to Kehr, et al. on Apr. 9, 1974. M. Kellner, et al., in Czechoslovakia Patent No. 176,612, issued on Jan. 15, 1979, disclosed the use of polychlorobiphenyl with ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer and/or atactic polypropylene for use in a hot melt adhesive. While these approaches have succeeded in minimizing unmelted solids in the composition, the additives introduce problems of poor thermostability in the case of the paraffin and unacceptable toxicity for the PCB.
Various non-halogenated monomers have been grafted to polypropylene in accordance with the prior art. For example, maleic anhydride is commonly grafted to atactic polypropylene to increase adhesive bond strength. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,602, issued to Albers on Sept. 20, 1977, there is disclosed the grafting of unbrominated styrene to atactic polypropylene for the purpose of producing an inherently white adhesive without the use of opacifying fillers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,034,939, issued to Newkirk, et al. on May 15, 1962, discusses fire extinguishing properties for a hot melt adhesive composition containing chlorinated biphenyls and/or chlorinated paraffins as flame retardants. The use of the former material is now EPA regulated due to PCB contamination problems. The latter material is subject to dehydrochlorination if allowed to stand at the 270.degree.-350.degree. F. temperature required for use. Additionally, antimony trioxide and calcium carbonate (which tend to settle out) are required. There is no adhesive data in the Newkirk, et al. patent.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,808, issued to Hornbaker et al. on July 21, 1981, there is described a method for the preparation of polybromostyrene resin by the addition polymerization of nuclear brominated styrene. The Hornbaker et al. patent is limited to the addition polymerization of bromostyrene in the presence of specified rubbery polymers, namely SBR rubber (butadiene-styrene copolymers), EPR rubber (ethylenepropylene copolymers), EPDM rubber (i.e. terpolymers of ethylene, propylene and a diene monomer), polyisoprene rubber (e.g. cis-1,4-polyisoprene and trans-1,4-polyisoprene), Neoprene (i.e. polymers and copolymers of 2-chloro-1,3-butadiene), cis-1,4-polybutadiene, and polybutadienes having mixed structures (e.g. cis-1,4; trans-1,4 and 1,2 structures), with the polybutadienes being particularly preferred.
Other commercial flame retardants, such as decabromodiphenyl oxide (DDPO) are also used in flame retardant hot melt adhesives, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,107, issued to McConnell, et al. on Feb. 23, 1988. DDPO is an insoluble solid melting at 300.degree.-315.degree. C., which acts as a filler and can settle out of the adhesive formulation. The McConnell patent claims the use of decabromodiphenyl ether in flame retardant hot melt adhesives for polyurethane foams and fabrics. The use of antimony oxide is also claimed. These materials will settle out of the adhesive mixture. Also, formulating the adhesive is cumbersome due to the pre-melting and mixing of the flame retardant and antimony oxide with polyester to form a concentrate which is then back added to the base polyester for application. No adhesive data is given in the McConnell patent.
Outside of the field of flame retardancy, various modifications to polyolefins have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,177,270, issued to Jones et al. on Apr. 6, 1965, describes a method for modifying polyolefins for the purpose of improving tensile strength, elongation and/or flexural modulus. The Jones et al. patent specifically describes the preparation of ethylene polymer which is modified with styrene, a styrene/acrylonitrile mixture, dichlorostyrene or a mixture of isomeric vinyltoluenes. The Jones et al. patent additionally lists other possible polymeric substrates for use in the described method as including polypropylene, polyisobutylene, polybutene, and copolymers of ethylene and propylene, ethylene and isobutylene, and ethylene and butene. The patent indicates that other copolymers that can be used include those containing a predominant amount of one or more aliphatic olefins chemically combined or interpolymerized with a minor proportion of another monoethylenically unsaturated organic compound, such as copolymers of a predominant amount of ethylene and a minor proportion of styrene, vinyl acetate or methyl methacrylate. Possible graft monomers are listed as including styrene, vinyltoluene, vinylxylene, ethylvinylbenzene, isopropyl styrene, para-tert-butyl styrene, dichlorostyrene, bromostyrene, fluorostyrene, or mixtures thereof with acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, methyl methacrylate or maleic anhydride.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,401, issued to Garnett et al. in 1979, relates to a process for producing a heterogenous catalyst for the hydrogenation, hydroformylation, isomerization, cracking or dehydrogenation of organic molecules. The Garnett process comprises the steps of radiation grafting a monomer having an alpha-unsaturated bond to a metal or an organic polymer and complexing a nitrogen, halogen, or phosphorous containing group to the monomer. The Garnett et al. patent lists many possible polymer/monomer combinations. Identified polymer substrates included polyvinyl compounds, polyolefins, polyvinylidenes, polysiloxanes, polydienes, polyethers, polyimides, polysulphones, polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, polycarbonates and polyureas. Listed as possible monomers for use in the described process were p-nitrostyrene, p-amino styrene, p-chlorostyrene, vinyldiphenylphosphine, cis bis (1,2-diphenylphosphino) ethylene, triallylphosphine, divinylphenylphosphine and many more.
The graft atactic polypropylene polymers used in the present invention do not suffer the drawbacks of having insoluble flame retardants which act as fillers, increase melt viscosity, and require the use of solid antimony synergists or other flame retardant enhancing agents. Since the grafts are polymeric and compatible in the adhesive formulation, they do not perform like liquid flame retardants which can weaken and migrate from adhesive bonds.

Flame retardant hot melt adhesive compositions using brominated styrene/atactic polypropylene graft copolymers


An adjustable mount for use with a snowboard and a snowboard binding has a center-line and a channel which longitudinally extends along the center-line of the snowboard. The snowboard binding includes a binding base plate and a disc. The disc has a center-line and a bottom surface and is rotatably coupled to the binding base plate. The adjustable mount includes a rail and a locking mechanism. The rail is disposed in the channel and is fixedly coupled thereto. The rail is a flexible member and has a key-slot and two series of parallel notches. The binding base plate is disposed on the snowboard. The disc has a center-line and a bottom surface. The disc is rotatably coupled to the binding base plate. The locking mechanism securely couples the rail to the binding base plate.

The field of the invention is adjustable mounts for snowboard bindings.
Snowboarding is a sport wherein a person uses a snowboard for recreational travel down a snow-covered inclined surface. A mount fastens a binding to the snowboard. The popularity of snowboarding is growing all over the world. Snowboarding is beginning to rival skiing as a recreational sport. While snowboarding a person stands on the snowboard with both feet and his body angled to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard.
The Revelation snowboard has two sets of two parallel tracks and two sets of four T-nuts. Each set of the four T-nuts float within one of the two sets of the two parallel tracks and mechanically couples one of two bindings to one of the two sets of the two parallel tracks. Revelation has a trademark, FREEDOM GROOVE, and a patent pending for its snowboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,581 teaches a system which mounts bindings to a snowboard. The system allows relative distance between the mounted bindings to be much more accurately adjusted by the user, making snowboarding mare enjoyable and safer. The system involves a front and a rear set of parallel cavities formed on the top surface of a snowboard. The snowboard accepts nuts. The nuts slide in each cavity. Each nut receives a corresponding bolt from the binding to be mounted. The nuts can be easily replaced if stripped, obviating the need for frequent and expensive repairs to fix stripped nuts, as is common with typical snowboards.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,698 teaches a binding whose rotational position relative to an axis perpendicular to a snowboard can be adjusted. The binding includes a hold-down plate and a binding base plate. The hold-down plate may be secured to the snowboard in several different positions on the board and is fixed to the snowboard by screws extending through a set of holes in the hold-down plate. The binding base plate can be rotated relative to the hold-down plate. The binding base plate and the hold-down plate each have ribs or ridges, respectively, which lock the angular position of the binding base plate relative to the hold-down plate. The rotational position of the binding base plate can only be adjusted by removing the boot from the binding base plate and disengaging the screws from the holes in the hold-down plate. Therefore, angular adjustment of the binding cannot be done xe2x80x9con the flyxe2x80x9d. Some bindings permit a person using a snowboard to adjust their rotational orientation on the snowboard. Look makes a binding which includes a circular plate and a foot-bed. The circular plate is attached to the snowboard by a set of screws. The screws engage with the snowboard. The foot-bed has a central aperture for rotatably receiving the circular plate. A lock assembly locks the foot-bed in a predetermined rotational position with respect to the circular plate. A housing, including one or more fasteners, is attached to the foot-bed for securing a boot to the foot-bed so that the boot cannot be pulled free of the foot-bed except when the fasteners are released. A person adjusts the orientation of the binding at the beginning of the season and often makes no further adjustments.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,755 teaches a rotatable binding for a snowboard which includes a base plate and a binding plate. The base plate is mounted on the snowboard. The binding plate is rotatably mounted on the base plate The rotatable binding also includes a locking assembly. The locking assembly includes a pin and a foot binding. The locking assembly selectively locks, at a desired angle of rotation, the binding plate to the base plate. The base plate includes an indexing platform and a pedestal. The pedestal is disposed on the bottom of the base plate. The indexing platform has a multiplicity of bores arranged in a circular arc about a central axis The pedestal has a width about the width of a human foot and traverses the snowboard in order to support the indexing platform above the top surface of the snowboard. The pin does not restrict rotation of the binding base plate relative to the base plate and is selectively moveable from a raised position to a lowered position. The pin engages an indexing bore such that the binding plate may not rotate relative to the base plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,068 teaches a device which pivotally mounts a binding on a snowboard on the upper surface thereof. A manually operated handle allows the binding to be changed in any direction desired and thereafter with a flip of the handle locked into the selected position. The binding includes a binding base plate and a swivel plate. The binding base plate is mounted on the swivel plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,088 teaches a coupling which releasably mounts a binding to a turntable. The turntable is adjustably secured to a snowboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,337 teaches a snowboard in which the rider""s feet are positionable within bindings which are formed on first and second riding plates. Each of the first and second riding plates is positionable above a channel section. The channel section is formed within a rider support surface of the riding apparatus. Each riding plate supports fasteners. The fasteners are releasably engageable with retaining elements which are installed within the channel section. After loosening the fasteners from the retaining elements, each of the first and second riding plates may be repositioned angularly or longitudinally with respect to its channel section thereby permitting the snowboard to be used with a variety of stances and leg spacings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,017 teaches a water sports board which has a base formed with rows of detent teeth for locking engagement with the peripheral teeth of binder plates. The binder plate may be angularly or longitudinally adjusted relative to the base. The board also has a pair of boots that are mounted to the binder plates and mounting assemblies for mounting the binder plates to the base.
Today there exits several kinds of water sports boards including surfboards, knee-boards, water skis and boards upon which a rider, towed by a power boat, stands with his feet spread longitudinally apart upon the board. Some of these boards, including the last mentioned type to which this invention particularly pertains, are equipped with foot bindings to stabilize the rider upon the board and to enhance his foot control of the board. With this latter type of board, which has only recently obtained popularity, the rider positions his feet on the board one behind the other at a skewed angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the board. This posture thus is similar to that used by surfers on surfboards. Initially these types of boards were merely equipped with strips of course, frictional material to provide foot traction. Since they were pulled in tow behind powerful motor boats riders quickly found that they were not able to maintain their feet in position well enough when subjected to strong tow rope pulling forces. These types of water sports boards are equipped with foot bindings. Water ski foot bindings include a toe piece and a heal piece mounted to the top surface of the ski. One of the pieces is usually adjustable to accommodate different skier foot sizes and to facilitate foot entry. These are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,933,741, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,102,279 and 3,127,623. Water ski bindings have also existed by which the position of the whole binding for one foot may be repositioned upon the ski. Exemplary of this type of binding is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,740,972. These water ski bindings however do not provide for angular foot adjustment since water skiing is best done with the skier""s feet aligned with the skis. Recently, a board known as a Skurfer has been equipped with bindings that can be adjusted both longitudinally and angularly. Its bindings include oblong plates upon which toe and heal pieces, hereinafter collectively referred to as xe2x80x9cbootsxe2x80x9d, are mounted. The plates are held in position by threaded posts that extend through arcuate slots in holding the plates firmly in place at selected positions upon the board. Though these types of bindings have permitted both longitudinal and angular positioning, they have tended to loosen and skew in operation. Also, their degree of angular adjustment has been limited. It thus is seen that a water sports board of the type having foot bindings which can be more fully adjusted rotationally, as well as longitudinally adjusted, and which may be easily yet securely repositioned, has remained an elusive goal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,636 teaches a snowboard having a channel extending along a portion of the length thereof. Two bindings are secured to the snowboard through the channel. Each binding may be rotated between a locked starting position in which the long axis of the binding extends parallel to the long axis of the snowboard and a locked skiing position in which the long axis of the binding extends transversely to the long axis of the snowboard. After the binding has been rotated to a selected position, the binding is secured in place by a locking mechanism. Each binding includes a resilient front strap assembly and a resilient heel support which secures one of the user""s feet to the binding and permits a user to quickly and easily remove his feet from the bindings in the event of a fall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,492 teaches an adjustable snowboard binding which can be rotatably controlled without the use of external tools. A boot-mounting platform has a plurality of inwardly facing radial teeth along the circumference of a centralized circular cutout. A circumferential lip along the cutout is used to rotatably mount the platform via overlapping lipped quadrant segments which are mounted to the snowboard. Two radially sliding segments have teeth at their outer ends and are held by the quadrant segments. A slidable band is mounted by actuating locking levers along the longitudinal length of the snowboard. The slidable band has upwardly extending posts. The posts interface with angled slots formed in each sliding segment. In operation, the actuating levers are unlocked and the band slides forwards and backwards to effectuate radial movement of the sliding segments. This in turn effectuates locking engagement and disengagement between the radial circumferential teeth and the sliding segment teeth. The user performs this adjustment operation without removing the boot from the mounting platform and without loosening screws.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,779 teaches a binding which includes a mount-plate. The mount plate is fixedly mounted to a snowboard. The mount plate has a cavity centrally defined therein. A ring is fixedly attached to the mount plate. The mount plate has a bore centrally defined therethrough. A hub mounts the binding to the snowboard. The hub is centrally disposed in the cavity and extends through the bore. The mount plate is free to rotate about the hub thereby allowing for adjustment of an angular position of the mount plate. A locking mechanism arrests and releases rotation of the mount plate thereby allowing the angular position of the mount plate to be adjusted. A user may quickly and easily adjust the angular position of binding relative to the snowboard without removing his boot from the binding.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,910 teaches a swivelable bindings assembly for use with a snowboard which makes a selective rotational adjustment of the bindings about an axis normal to the upper surface of the snowboard and which includes a rotatably adjustable bindings plate having a bottom surface, an upper portion adapted for releasably supporting a user""s boot, and a relatively large diameter circular opening in the central portion of the plate. The assembly includes a holds-down disk that is received in the plate opening and is adapted to slidably engage edge portions of the plate opening to restrain the plate against upward separation from the disk and to hold the plate with its bottom surface slidably engaged with, and vertically supported by, the low-friction planar surface of a sheet of material secured to the top of the snowboard, the disk also serving to mount the plate for rotation about an axis through the center of the disk. Mechanism for releasably locking the plate at selected rotational positions includes a locking pin with an elongate shaft that engages a horizontal bore extending from an edge of the base plate to the base plate opening, the plate being rotatable to bring the bore in alignment with at least one recess in the outer edge of the disk whereby the pin shaft can be engaged in a selected recess to secure the plate against rotation. These bindings for snowboards can be adjusted with respect to its angular orientation to the longitudinal centerline of the snowboard. The recent surge in popularity of the sport of snowboarding has brought renewed interest in addressing certain problems that are unique to the sport, as opposed to other skiing endeavors such as alpine skiing and water skiing. First, it is noted that according to the conventional arrangement of bindings on a snowboard, fore and aft binding assemblies are secured to the board in a manner to support both feet at a substantial angle with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the board. This cross orientation of the bindings allows the user to assume a side-forward position necessary for optimum control of the board during active snowboarding. It is also noted that snowboarders often desire to modify the angle of the feet relative to the centerline of the board to achieve maximum performance during their run. Such changes in the angle of the feet can be necessitated by the degree of incline of the slope, the amount and quality of the snow encountered, or the amount of jumping desired during descent. When a down-hill run is completed it is necessary for the user to use self- propulsion methods to maneuver over flat terrain and to negotiate the life line and to get in position for pick up by a lift chair. In order to do this the snowboarder will commonly release the aft foot from its bindings so that he or she can use a xe2x80x9cskateboardingxe2x80x9d technique in which the free foot is used for propulsion. Unfortunately, because of the transverse orientation of the secured foot and the face-forward position that the maneuvering snowboarder tries to assume, the leg is forced towards an unnatural position causing stress and strain on the entire leg, including the vulnerable ankle and knee joints. Of course the snowboarder has the option of detaching both feet from the board and hand carrying the board in such circumstances, but such procedure is inconvenient and time consuming. Furthermore, the cross-orientation of the bindings can lead to difficulties when riding the lift chair, requiring the board to be held in an unwieldy manner that can interfere with a companion lift chair rider, and also causing stress and strain in the secured leg of the user. It has become evident that one way to address these problems would be in providing bindings that are adjustable with respect to their angular orientations to the board centerline.
World Patent No. 97/03733 teaches a device for positioning longitudinally a snowboard binding on a snowboard. The snowboard binding includes a binding plate. A rail is attached to the snowboard. The device includes a sliding member and a central stud. The central stud couples the sliding member to the rail section.
French Patent No. 2,715,861 teaches a single central bolt which anchors a base plate of a snowboard. A C-shaped piece is anchored in the snowboard.
European Patent No. 351,298 teaches a device for positioning longitudinally a snowboard binding on a snowboard. U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,410 teaches a snowboard binding system. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,261,689 and 5,356,170 also teach other snowboard binding systems of a popular type that which employ a hold-down disk that engages a circular opening in a boot mounting plate whose bottom is supported on a snowboard. Vertical bores through the hold-down disk allow it to be secured to threaded bores in the board using threaded bolts or screws, and ordinarily there are extra pairs of threaded bores in the board to allow adjustment between the fore and aft bindings in several different longitudinal positions, to accommodate the desired feet-apart stance of the rider. There are ridges or splines on the hold-down disk that engage complementary ridges or splines on the binding plate, to secure the plate at a given angular orientation. This will allow angular adjustment of the bindings, but unfortunately, to accomplish this, several bolts per hold-down disk, usually four, must be loosened using a suitable tool in order to loosen the disk sufficiently form the plate to allow rotation of the plate to a new orientation. The fasteners must then be retightened. Unfortunately, while the systems shown in above-mentioned patents allow angular adjustment, they share the major drawback in not allowing such adjustment to be made quickly, easily and conveniently, because they require removal of the boot from the bindings in each case, and the use of tools to loosen and tighten the fasteners.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,088 teaches a snowboard binding which can be rapidly and easily removed from the board, should this be a solution to the above-discussed problems, but this disclosure does not show a means for rapidly adjusting the angle of the bindings. Relatively recent approaches to the need for rotatably adjustable bindings are revealed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,635 which teaches a system which is suited for use on water ski boards, however it appears that the locking mechanism would not be adequate for use in a snowboard environment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,837 teaches a locking mechanism which depends on specially formed vertically opposed undulating surfaces that can be brought in and out of engagement and which appears complex and expensive.
The present invention is generally directed to an adjustable mount for a snowboard binding. A snowboard is of a sandwich construction and includes a polyethylene base, a first fiberglass layer, a wood core, a second fiberglass layer and a plastic top sheet. The snowboard has a center-line. The snowboard binding includes a binding base plate and a disc. The binding base plate is disposed on the snowboard. The disc has a center-line and a bottom surface. The disc is rotatably coupled to the binding base plate.
In a first separate aspect of the present invention, the snowboard has a channel which longitudinally extends along the center-line in the wood core, the second fiberglass layer and the plastic top sheet thereof. The mount includes a rail. The rail is disposed in the channel and is fixedly coupled thereto. The rail has two parallel series of notches. The locking mechanism securely couples the rail to the disc.
Other aspects and many of the attendant advantages will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description and considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which like reference symbols designate like parts throughout the figures.
The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims.

Longitudinally adjustable mount for a snowboard binding